Whats up with my cleaner shrimp?

[Nano]

Ok yea another problem I know... but seriously here it is. I just got a cleaner shrimp about 3 weeks ago and he always had a great appetite and very active always cleanin. Yesterday and today he seems to be twitching and laying on his back at times for up to five minutes sometimes, then suddenly he's back to business climbing rocks and doing "shrimp" stuff. My parameters are spot on except my calcium being slightly low at 360. No changes to anything in the tank or new diets or anything. Everyone else is fine corals are huge and opened nicely fish are getting along "swimmingly" but he is "tweeking out" anyone know what the problem is here? Is this out of the ordinary? He just molted yesterday morning so other then that its just the behaviour that is concerning me.

[Dr_Hicks]

Anytime I have had a shrimp or crab molt, their appetite has not always been so stellar for a few days afterwards; however I cannot speak to the laying on the back trick.... that's all new to me.

[Nano]

Originally Posted by Dr_Hicks

Anytime I have had a shrimp or crab molt, their appetite has not always been so stellar for a few days afterwards; however I cannot speak to the laying on the back trick.... that's all new to me.

Yeah he molted maybe every week or so, but I've never seen this, at the moment he's cleaning a rock but 10 minutes ago he had a "episode" lol my parameters are fine, I had about .15 ammonia this morning but changed the water right away!

[Nano]

Hmmm he is still cleaning now.. maybe ur was reacting to the slight ammonia content in the water? I hear they can be sensitive to that, maybe he's starting to "detoxify" lol

[Nano]

Originally Posted by nanomano

Hmmm he is still cleaning now.. maybe ur was reacting to the slight ammonia content in the water? I hear they can be sensitive to that, maybe he's starting to "detoxify" lol

and 20 minutes later he died. wtf? I dont understand what I am doing wrong lol... this is so off putting

[reefwars]

i would worry about where the amonia came from right now, amonia shouldnt be detectable at anytime if it is detectable even in small amounts its harmful but is also a huge sign that your tank isnt stable.

if you tank is on the stable/unstable fine line then a ittle time has to be given for the balance to work out.adding anyhing n ow or in the near future could keep it on this fine line.

another thing to note is inverts are very sensitive to salinity spikes and temp so be sure to make sure they are always consistent.acclimation is very important.


if your shrimp just molted it is also at its most vulnerable period, what do you have for fish?? notice any bad crabs you didnt buy??

[blacknife]

You would be supprised what might like the light after being aclimated to higher levels.

[Nano]

Originally Posted by blacknife

You would be supprised what might like the light after being aclimated to higher levels.

so if I was to do the halide, it would be best to suspend it I take it and lower it every few days a bit at a time? its got a fan but it still gets very hot luckily I have a lid lol

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by nanomano

so if I was to do the halide, it would be best to suspend it I take it and lower it every few days a bit at a time? its got a fan but it still gets very hot luckily I have a lid lol

yup start it up high a good rule of thumb is 24" from your sandbed and lower it slowly but watch the temps, a fan helps alot when dealing with the heat. lids ime arent the best for salt tanks as we rely on the open tops for gas exchange unless your top is vented

[reefwars]

Originally Posted by blacknife

You would be supprised what might like the light after being aclimated to higher levels.

yup +1 for the most part theres not "two much light" just two much two fast if they are acclimated properly alot of low light corals do fine with high light.but there are still some that do better with low light so it takes some reading or trial and error to find this out

zoas can do fine with lots of light or no light as do shrooms and alot of softies